now a fanning and winnowing, a purging and purifying time among the churches. God has for years been sifting other nations, and is now sifting our nation with the sieve of vanity, to make manifest those whom he approves. It is a time, not to unite with, but to separate from, the erroneous and corrupt. The friends of truth are loudly called upon to show and exert themselves in the cause of truth, and in opposition to all heresies, errors and delusions. Heretics are employing all their learning, ingenuity and subtilty, to spread heresy and error among all the pure churches who seem to be asleep and insensible of their danger. It becomes them to awake, and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made them free, and not be "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."

5. We learn from what has been said, the importance of ministers' preaching the gospel fully and plainly. If the gospel had always been preached fully and plainly, it is hard to conceive how heresies and fatal errors should have abounded so much in every age, and in every part of the world. The great and essential truths of the gospel approve themselves to every man's reason and conscience in the sight of God. And where they are fully and plainly taught, men are constrained to see and feel their weight and importance; and the absurdity of believing and embracing errors which are diametrically opposite to them. When the pure and essential doctrines of the gospel are fully and plainly taught, they cannot fail to make manifest the falsehood and absurdity of every fatal error and heresy. But if the gospel be not fully and plainly preached, it will naturally lead men into the most fatal errors; by enabling them to pervert the gospel, and to employ it to prove and sanction the worst of errors. All nominal christians who run into the greatest errors and delusions, invariably employ the gospel to support their false doctrines. But if the gospel were fully and plainly preached, every one would perceive that there is not a text in the Bible, which countenances, approves, or supports any religious error that ever was believed or propagated. It is the indispensable duty of ministers to declare all the counsel of God, and to explain and prove all the great and fundamental truths of the gospel, as clearly as possible. Those who object against doctrinal preaching, generally do it to prevent their errors from being exposed, and refuted, and condemned. The present

mode of preaching is perfectly suited to unite and please all who wish to bring about a coalition between the orthodox and heterodox. While preachers omit to preach the doctrines of the gospel, and insist only on its duties, all denominations can

agree, and unite in their Christian fellowship and communion. It is the cardinal and essential doctrines of the gospel, concerning which professors of religion most widely and irreconcilably differ. They cannot, therefore, be united in the truth, until they are united in these doctrines. To preach these plainly, is the only proper and safe way of uniting christians.

6. It appears from the nature and tendency of heresy, that sinners at this day are in the most dangerous situation. They are surrounded by errorists and heretics on every side. They naturally love darkness rather than light, and error rather than truth. And when they imbibe error, they always imbibe it as truth. Of course they go on highly pleased with their own delusions, crying to themselves peace and safety, until they are undeceived when beyond recovery. Heresy is the most easy and deceptive path to destruction. And heresy is rapidly creeping in among us. But why? That they who are approved may be made manifest. Let those who are approved now manifest themselves, by raising the strongest barriers against heresy. Let them study the scriptures, labor to understand and defend the peculiar doctrines of the gospel, and avoid seducers. These are the most proper means of preventing errorists from destroying themselves and others.

SERMON XVII.

NEUTRALITY RESPECTING CHRIST IMPOSSIBLE.

He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad. - MATTHEW, xii. 30.

THE Occasion of these words was this. There was brought unto Christ a man possessed with a devil, who was both blind and dumb; and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. Though the miracle excited the admiration of the people in general, yet it raised the enmity and opposition of the Pharisees, who maliciously charged him with casting out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. Christ completely refutes this charge, by showing the absurdity of supposing that Satan should cast out Satan, and act against the interest of his own kingdom, for the sake of joining with him in building up the kingdom of God; and by showing the still greater absurdity of supposing that he should act in concert with Satan, whom he knew to be his most malignant and powerful enemy. For says he, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad." To be with Christ, or against him, naturally signifies to be with him or against him in some design. Merely loving or hating a person, is not commonly considered as being with him, or against him. But this phrase generally signifies being united with, or opposed to a person, in some design he has formed and is pursuing. And in this sense Christ evidently meant to be understood in the text. For he was then actually carrying on that great and important design, which always has employed his thoughts, and always will employ them, until it is finally accomplished. In reference to this design he said, "He that is

not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad." We may, therefore, justly conclude,

That no man can be indifferent towards the design which Christ is carrying on. I shall show,

I. What design Christ is carrying on; and

II. That no man can be indifferent towards it.

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I. I am to show what design Christ is carrying on. er had, and never will have but one design; and this design was concerted in the council of heaven, from the early days of eternity. Though all the persons in the sacred Trinity are united and engaged in this design, yet the most conspicuous and important part of it belongs to the office of Christ to fulfil. He has engaged in the work, and done much to accomplish it. He has come from heaven to earth, assumed human nature, suffered and died, risen from the dead, ascended up to heaven, taken the government of the world into his hands, and continues to act the part of a Prince and Saviour. But still the question recurs, What has he done, and is still doing, all these things for? or, What end or design is he carrying on? I answer, The great design of saving sinners. The work of redemption comprises all the works of creation and providence. Christ engaged from eternity to accomplish the work of man's redemption. This is the scriptural representation of Christ's design. As soon as the great deceiver had brought about the apostacy of our first parents, God graciously promised them that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, destroy the works of the devil, and save all who were predestinated to eternal life. Accordingly, when he appeared on earth, he declared that he was the son of God, and Saviour of the world; that he came to give his life a ransom for many; and that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. his resurrection from the dead, he said to his disciples, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." And the apostle declares, that God hath raised Christ from the dead, and "set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church." Thus it appears that the supreme and ultimate design which Christ has undertaken, which he is carrying on, and which he will finally accomplish, is the promotion of the glory of God

and the holiness and blessedness of his eternal kingdom, in the salvation of all penitent and believing sinners. And this must be allowed to be the greatest and best design, and the most interesting to all intelligent beings, that ever could be formed and executed. Therefore I go on to show,

II. That no man can be indifferent towards it. Christ expressly declares, "He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad;" which plainly implies that every man either approves, or disapproves his design, and inwardly desires to promote, or obstruct it. And that no man can be indifferent towards it will appear, if we consider the following things.

1. The design which Christ is pursuing, is the greatest of all possible designs in every point of view. It is great in its origin. It was concerted in the early days of eternity, by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and is as great a design as their united and infinite wisdom could form. It is great in extent. It reaches to, and comprises all beings and objects in the universe. It is great in its duration. It began to operate from the beginning of the world, and it will continue to operate to the end of the world, and from that period to all eternity; and produce effects the most interesting to every intelligent being, who will always be a spectator of them. Now it is not conceivable that any man should be indifferent towards this great and comprehensive design which Christ is carrying on, and which will deeply and eternally affect the minds of the whole intelligent universe.

2. The great design which Christ is pursuing, is totally opposed to all the selfish designs of mankind. Every man is naturally disposed to seek his own things, and pursue his own interests, independently of, and in opposition to, the interests of others. This selfish spirit reigns more or less in the hearts of all the children of men, and leads them to form ten thousand selfish and sinful designs, which they regard as very important to themselves. But the perfectly wise and benevolent design which Christ is pursuing, opposes and counteracts all the selfish designs of mankind. Their selfish designs respect their own good; but his design respects the glory of God. Their selfish designs respect temporal things; but his benevolent design respects eternal things. Their selfish designs respect nothing but happiness; but his benevolent design respects holiness as well as happiness, through all the periods of time and all the ages of eternity. So long as Christ lived in obscurity, and concealed his great and benevolent design in coming into the world, he grew in favor with God and man. But as soon as he made known his design, and pursued it in open